Psychology of the Internet

I've always been interested in the psychology of the internet. And Typology Central is the perfect opportunity, particularly as we have excellent volunteer moderators who comb us and calm us for civil conversation.

But what is remarkable about the internet at large is that it is remarkably uncivil.

Some say this is due to the nature of the internet, but it is plain that the internet is not a media organisation but it is a utility, like water or electricity. And it is a utility by which members of society express themselves.

So the internet is not virtual reality, rather it is a mirror reflection of society.

And what kind of society does it reflect? It reflects a society infected by trolls who want to cause psychological pain for others, not in the interests of learning through the pain of cognitive dissonance, but simply to savour the joy of causing pain in others. This is called sadism.